FOREST, FISH AND GAiNIE CO?*IMISSION. 429 



According- to Dr. Smith, it is very common at Woods Hole, Mass. ; only youncr 

 individuals are seen. Fish y^ to i inch long appear in July and remain until 

 September 15, when they are about 2 inches long. 



137. Silvery Pompano (Tracliinotus argeiitcits C. & V.). 



The Silvery Pompano has been considered the young of the Common Pompano. 

 It has been recorded from New York and the West Indies. DeKay, in his New 

 York Fauna, translates the description of Cuvier and Valenciennes. A figure of 

 the fish was published in the 19th Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries of 

 New York, plate X. 



A young example was taken in Blue Point Cove on September 29, 1890. This 

 fish has the form of the Ovate Pompano, while the fin-rays are about ihe same as 

 in the Common Pompano. 



At Woods Hole, Mass., according to Dr. Smith, this pompano is rare. On 

 September 7, 1885, a specimen was taken there which was identified by Professor 

 Baird as this form. 



138. Common Pompano {TracJiinotiis carolinus Linnaeus). 



The Common Pompano frequents the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the 

 United States, ranging north in summer to Cape Cod. It is very common south- 

 ward and is rare or accidental in the West Indies and in Brazil. It grows to the 

 length of 18 inches and is one of the choicest food fishes of our southern waters. 



Mitchill described this fish under the name of Thornback Grunt, a name not now 

 in use. Dr DeKay, in 1842, mentions it as an exceedingly rare species on the New 

 York coast ; his description was based upon a specimen taken off Sandy Hook some 

 20 years before. 



The young are summer and fall visitors in Gravesend Bay. They were found 

 in moderate numbers at Oak Island Beach on September 14 and at Fire Island 

 September 16, 1898. 



At Woods Hole, Mass., the young sometimes occur in considerable numbers, 

 and they have been taken abundantly at Great Egg Harbor Bay. 



Dr. Smith says adult fish are rare at Woods Hole, none having been observed 

 for ten years. The young from 2 to 4 inches long are obtained, usually appearing 

 between July 20 and August i and remaining until about the end of September. 



